Compound tool



May 7, 1940; WATSQN 2,199,899

COMPOUND TOOL Fiied June 14, 1959 Wll. L'IAM E WATSON Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE COMPOUND TOOL William F. Watson, Clean, N. Y.

Application June 14,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to compound or combined tools and has for its principal object to provide a wrench handle or the like with a folding screw driver or the like which can be opened 5 out at the rear end of the handle for use as a screw driver or similar device, or which can be folded into closed position into a recess in the handle in which position it will not interfere'with the ordinary use and operation of the wrench. A spring is provided which presses against the shank of the auxiliary tool to retain it in either position. 1

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is, an edge View showing the screw driver in extended position and illustrating the manner in which it may be folded into the handle.

Fig. 2 is a side-view.

Fig. 3 is a detail in longitudinal section of part of the wrench handle;

Fig. 4 is a detail in edge view of the screw driver.

In the drawing 6 indicates a wrench head of known construction, joining to a handle 1. This handle is of special construction, having recesses 8 and. 9 at opposite sides of a tongueor middle part In, with an opening H connecting the two side recesses. At its rear end the handlehas a cross bar or piece l2 at one side. of which is a notch l3. The shank of the screw driver I4 is pivoted in the cross opening II by a pivot at l5 so that the screw driver may be swung to either closed or open position, as shown in Fig. 1.

within the opening ll and recess 8 against one side of the tongue ill, in which position it will be substantially flush with the side of the handle and so convenient to operate the wrench in the usual manner, without interference.

notch I6 in which the cross bar I2 fits when the screw driver is swung to open position.- In this adjustment the screw driver will project from the wrench handle and in linewith the longitudinal axis thereof, in which position it can be manipulated, the wrench head serving as a handle to receive the thrust,and this thrust, it will be noted, is taken largely by the cross bar 12 55 is riveted to the tongue I0 by the rivets I8. In

either position of the screw driver thespring presses flatly against the side of the shank of the screw driver, and to facilitate the closing 1 When swung or folded to closed position it lies The shank of the screw driver M has a cross site the seat for the screw driver, and the spring 1939, Serial No. 279,189 (01. 145-50) 'movement the inner end of the screw driver is rounded on one side as indicated at I9, the surface 19 wiping over the spring as the screw driver is swung. The pressure of the spring serves to snapthe screw driver into either position when it is swung beyond center, and the spring is preferably made of suflicient strength to prevent accidental closure of the screw driver incident to thrust thereon.

The screw driver may be provided with a cutting notch and dge at 20 as for scraping insulation from wire; also with a finger notch 2| to receive a .finger nail to start the opening movement; also with a short scale of inches 22 along one edge, for measuring purposes.

Mounted on the screw driver blade is a halfnut or locking nut 23 having its fiat side in alinement with one side. of'the notch 16 when in inoperative position, opened'the lockingnut can be turned to engage the cross bar or piece l2 and thereby lock the the possibility of the same folding towards closed position during the use of the same.

In use it will be seen that the screw driver be folded to closed position, fitting withinthe opening I l and recess 8; or it may be lifted and swung to open position extending in line with the handle, being retained in either position by the pressure of thespring l1. And in either position the spring lies within the surfaceof the handle, fitting in the opening II and recess 9, leaving the handle without objectionable roughness or projections, so that it can be conveniently operated for the use of either the wrench or the screw driver.

The invention is not limited to the exact form shown but may be varied within the scope of the following claim. a

I claim:

A tool. handle'having two opposite relatively wide sides with an opening extending completely through said handle between said sides and having a tongue projecting from one end of the handle into said opening and a cross bar extending across the handle at the opposite end of said opening, a screwdriver pivoted near onev end and at its narrow edges in said opening and adjacent said cross bar and, foldable fiatwise against one side of said tongue when in folded position and flatwisev against said cross bar when in unfolded position, and a fiat spring fixed at one end to the opposite side of said tongue and projecting along said opening with its free end bearing against the wide sides of the inner end of the screwdriver to hold the same in either opened or closed position.

v F. WATSON.

After the screw driver is may screw driver in open position and thus prevent 

